Meet the Family
by ShadeShifter
Summary: In which Tony meets the rest of Steve's family. Follows on from 'How to court an ex-agent in five easy steps' and 'Five-O Assemble'.


**The Crazy Uncle**

Steve is in prison accused of a murder Tony knows he didn't commit. Not because he isn't capable, but because he's much too good to get caught like that. Not too long ago it was Tony in Steve's place, again, but, as difficult as it was to be on that side, he thinks it is much worse to be free to do something and completely unable.

Steve doesn't let him visit much and Tony keeps his complaints about that to a minimum. It's difficult enough for a policeman in prison, they don't need to know he's in a relationship with a man. So, Tony is equal parts relieved and anxious when he hears Steve broke out.

He tries to keep his distance from the investigation he knows Danny and the Five-0 team are conducting. He's got a couple of HPD uniforms following him, too. He could give them the slip without too much trouble, but he's the decoy. It's not a role he's used to taking, but he doesn't have the same resources as the rest of the team, and they need to be able to work freely.

He spends the morning driving to obscure locations, ducking into stairwells and bathrooms, making calls to unlisted numbers, and generally looking furtive. It's a relief when Chin calls him and tells him they've exonerated Steve but there's still Wo Fat to track down.

When he walks into the bathroom of Kamekona's shave ice shop, there's the team minus Kono, the governor, and a man Tony assumes to be Lieutenant Commander Joe White. Tony's eyes sweep over Steve, making sure he's okay, but beyond looking a little pale he seems fine. Not that that's always the best way to judge. Steve nods to him and gives him a slight smile, which does wonders to put Tony at ease.

He settles in the corner, ignoring the way both the governor and the Commander are looking at him. To them he would seem to have no reason to be here, but this team has become his, however vicariously. It scares him that there are people he would put his life on the line for again, but they're nothing like his old team, and he thinks it might be something he's coming to terms with.

After the race to the dock, the fire-fights, and the disappearance of Wo Fat, Steve stands on the dock, watching the crime scene guys do their thing. There's no chance they'll catch up with Wo Fat and the buyer is dead, but there are procedures that need to be followed. Steve folds his arms and switches his gaze to the ocean. Tony comes to stand at his shoulder.

"Hey," he says. There's no sense in asking if he's okay, he's not but he'll say he is.

"Hey," Steve says, subdued. There are people watching, not that Tony cares about the crime scene guys but there's Steve's commander, and Tony doesn't know what Steve thinks about that. Steve turns to look at him, and there's desolation in his eyes. There's nothing Tony can do about the situation with Wo Fat or the answers to questions about his father that Steve doesn't even know to ask, but he pulls Steve to him and wraps his arms around him, hand cradling the back of his head.

"I'm here," Tony says, hoping it's some kind of comfort. Steve clings to him, hands fisting in his shirt. It's so good to be able to feel Steve, to touch him and smell him after months of separation. He wants to say that it's over, it'll be okay, whatever other platitude comes to mind. "You're here," he says instead and presses his face into the crook of Steve's neck until he's not entirely sure who's comforting whom.

"I'm here," Steve tells him.

"Next time someone's accused of murder, we're going to flee the country."

It was a pitiful joke, but Steve huffs a laugh anyway.

"I think everyone's looking at us," Steve says after another moment. It's only then that Tony figures he's going to be okay.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Danny's got his mother-hen face on."

This time the laugh sounds a little lighter, a little more real. Steve eases his grip finally and pulls away a little.

"I could use a beer," Steve says, which is how they end up back at Five-0 headquarters finishing up the paperwork, interviews and interrogations. It's a few hours before they're able to gather around the conference table and open those beers.

Tony watches as Steve connects with his team again, touching base with each of them in turn. It doesn't escape his notice that Joe is studying him in return, but he's hoping if he ignores the situation it'll go away. It doesn't. Joe comes to stand in front of Tony where he's leaning against the wall. It's an aggressive posture, meant to intimidate him, which is probably why it works just a little bit.

"So you're with Steve?" Joe says.

"Yep," Tony says with practised ease. He takes a long, unhurried drink of his beer. After being on both sides of the dynamic, he knows that the key to interrogation is power. Keeping your own and making the other guy give up his. It didn't matter which side of the table you sat on. "You going to ask my intentions?"

"You think that's necessary?" Joe asks, his gaze heavy with threat and intent.

Tony grins. Joe's good, but he's no La Grenouille. When it comes to meeting the parents, or parental figures, of significant others, he doesn't think much is going to top that.

"I think it's not going to matter too much one way or the other. Steve's stubborn like that."

"I think you're right, son," Joe says with a smile of his own, but the look in his eyes says he's going to be keeping a close eye on Tony. "If you'll excuse me."

He walks off, to the office where Steve is talking to Danny. Secrets settle heavy around him so that they're almost tangible as he moves. There were times when Gibbs could be the same way, Jenny too. Tony can't help but wonder just which of them Steve needs to be protected from.

* * *

**The Little Sister**

Mary comes in a hurricane of diamond smugglers, a conwoman and murder. Tony doesn't find out until later. He's working a case of his own – it hadn't started out complicated, a husband suspecting of cheating and he is, but there is also corporate espionage and embezzling.

When Tony started as a P.I., he'd actually thought it would be boring, even though he could pick and choose his cases. Chasing after cheating spouses, finding the occasional missing person, maybe a bail jumper or two. Instead, he's a Hawaiian shirt away from being Magnum P.I. There are some days he actually can't believe that this is his life.

So it's only when he gets in later and Steve and an unknown woman are seated at the kitchen table drinking coffee, he stops short in the doorway.

"Hey Tony," Steve says with a grin. Mary, Tony recognises from the photographs around the house. Most are old, Steve and Mary are teenagers, but there have been a few more recent ones that Tony knows Steve put up. If only because the Five-0 team and Tony are included, too.

"Hey Tony," Mary echoes with a cheeky grin.

"Hi Mary," he says. "Nice to meet you."

It's worse than meeting Joe, if only because he actually wants Mary's approval. He can't explain it, but it's somehow more important than Five-0 and the commander. Maybe it's because she's biological family and this feels like asking permission of some kind.

She stands up and walks over to him. He holds his ground only by virtue of being too nervous to move and spook her or disturb whatever uneasy accord they might have. Suddenly his arms are full of feisty blond woman and he looks over her head at Steve, who is grinning unreservedly.

"Welcome to the family," Mary tells him. She rises to her tiptoes and presses a kiss to his cheek. She kindly doesn't say anything when he has to blink away moisture.

* * *

**The Absent Mother**

Imagine Tony has taken on something like Catherine's role in the episode. It was the best way I could make it fit.

...

"So, you love my son," Doris said, staring at Tony in a manner he found more than a little unnerving. He wasn't entirely sure what to say to that either.

"I think that's between Steve and me."

She raised an eyebrow and Tony could just imagine her hackles rising. He folded his arms.

"I'm just taking an interest in my son's life," she said as though her tone hadn't been accusing.

Tony firmly bit his tongue against the 'it's a little late for that' which desperately wanted to come out. Steve was dealing with his mother in his own way. Whether that meant forgiving her yet or now, Tony didn't know, but he'd play nice until Steve went one way or the other.

She seemed to read his intention anyway. Her chin tilted up as she looked down her nose at him.

"Maybe you should ask him," Tony said with a conciliatory smile. She didn't seem to buy it.

"I'm asking you."

"Look," Tony said slowly, pausing to think about how to say what he wanted to with the least offense. "Steve's still working out where you stand in his life and that's between you and him. I don't want to complicate that."

"So you're a complication?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. There was only so much blatant antagonism he was willing to take.

"I brought lunch," Steve said as he walked in the door. Doris's attention immediately shifted to Steve and though Tony felt a little bad, he didn't think he'd ever been so relieved. He breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly.

"I'll get some beers," Doris said.

Steve dropped the bag of takeout on the coffee table and went over to Tony, sliding a hand into his hair and pulling him in for a quick kiss.

"You holding up okay?" Steve asked softly.

"Just peachy," Tony said, proud that his tone only had the slightest hint of sarcasm.

"I'll protect you," Steve told him with a grin.

"My hero," Tony said with a roll of his eyes. He grinned back and ignored the way Doris's eyes narrowed from where she stood in the doorway.

...

I hope Doris isn't too awful in this. My feeling of her in the first ep is that she's feeling deeply threatened by the fact that Steve has created a happy, fulfilled life despite her absence and she's trying to find fault with anyone who even hints at criticising her choices. So that's what I ran with.


End file.
